Lake Won't Reveal His Starting QB Until Kickoff at Cal

The University of Washington coach is looking for every competitive advantage. Naming his starter in advance isn't one of them.

The Husky quarterback competition likely ends late Thursday morning, after the University of Washington football team goes through its fourth and final game-simulated scrimmage.

However, Jimmy Lake all but promised he won't divulge the starter against California likely all the way to the 7:30 p.m. kickoff in Berkeley on Nov. 7.

For competitive reasons.

"It doesn't do us any advantage to announce that publicly," Lake said to reporters on Wednesday. "That's not going to help us win the football game."

After nearly a month of workouts and three game-simulated scrimmages, Sacramento State transfer Kevin Thomson is believed to be the leading candidate for the job, ahead of sophomore Jacob Sirmon, redshirt freshman Dylan Morris and freshman Ethan Garbers.

While not tipping his hand, Lake had this assessment of Thomson when asked to size up his play.

"As you've seen on film, the guy can run and he can throw it," Lake said. "He's smart. He's definitely made some veteran moves. He's been there and he's seen it because he's played college football."

Of course, the coach next offered this caveat.

"I'm excited about him like I am the other three guys," he said.

Lake also teased the media gathered on his Zoom call over whether the Huskies did or didn't score a touchdown in last Saturday night's scrimmage. He tweeted out a 9-6 final score and the fact that the competition ended on a walk-off Peyton Henry field goal. 

Yet he didn't offer his scoring system used that night, saying only a lot of outside assumptions were made.

With that side of the ball so unsettled, Lake was asked by a national reporter what it will take to win the Pac-12.

Not surprisingly, he said defense.

"We're going to play some defense out West," Lake told his inquisitor. "I think the team that plays the best defense will be holding the trophy in the Pac-12 championship game."

Lake also revealed that the Huskies stayed in a local hotel last weekend leading up the Saturday night scrimmage, simulating the coming road trip, COVID-10 protocols and all. He seemed satisfied with how it went. 

"We pulled it off," he said. 

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